Premier League launches campaign to combat piracy in SG

October 5, 2022 Europe Sports

Premier League players from clubs, including Liverpool and Manchester City, have teamed up for the purpose of raising awareness of the dangers of illegal streaming in Singapore. This is part of the League’s “Boot Out Piracy” campaign.

The campaign is returning for a second year in Singapore and this season featured Premier League stars including Liverpool defender Trent Alexander-Arnold, Manchester City’s Ilkay Gundogan, Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy and Leeds United’s Jack Harrison. The athletes appear in a series of videos which will be featured across broadcast and digital channels to raise awareness of the security risks of viewing Premier League football on illegal websites and devices.

The campaign will run from 3 October 2022 until 11 March 2023 and will be featured across broadcast channels, social media, websites and YouTube in Singapore, as well as Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Hong Kong and Thailand. Advertising for the campaign was developed by creative agency DDB Worldwide.

Research by industry experts shows anyone streaming illegally runs a high risk of exposing themselves to malicious malware or ransomware and increase their chances of becoming victims of cybercrimes. Fans who watch on unauthorised websites or streaming devices are also potentially be at risk of their bank accounts being hacked, identity theft or their devices being locked for ransom. Their viewing experience is also likely to be disrupted by broken links and numerous pop-up ads.

Premier League also works closely with local authorities to bring criminal action against website operators and suppliers of illicit streaming devices across the region. Furthermore, since the establishment of its Asia-Pacific office three years ago, Premier League has blocked hundreds of illegal websites in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam and Thailand.

Premier League general counsel Kevin Plumb said a minority of Premier League fans in Singapore are still putting themselves at risk of cybersecurity invasions and identity theft by streaming matches on illegal websites. “Our message is that it isn’t worth taking this risk because we know these sites contain malicious content which can expose people to numerous issues. If you stream pirated content, you are more likely than not to get malware on your device,” he said.